Love Hurts
by Castianamicheals
Summary: Harvey is secretly in love with Mike. Mike is in a physically abusive relationship and Harvey finds out just how bad it is. Warning: fair warning to any who find the topic painful. Also, rated for safety reasons.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: All the usual disclaimers. Love Hurts by Nazareth. Also, fair warning, this is about domestic violence. Harvey/Mike slash fic. Don't like, Don't read. Reviews are good._

**Love hurts,  
Love scars  
Love wounds, and marks  
**

"I told you this morning, Lucas, that I have to work late tonight." Mike said, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "Lucas, I am hanging up now. I'll see you when I get home." Without waiting for a reply, Mike ended the call and ground his teeth. He loved the guy, he really did, but Lucas can be so damn needy sometimes. Especially after what happens every time that Mike comes home late from the office, or has to work on the weekend, or, or, or. Honestly Mike was starting to get a little tired of it. He just narrowly escaped having anyone notice the faint bruising under his right eye where Lucas and hit him last Friday night. Granted Lucas _was _drunk and stoned when he did it and last night, Lucas _was_ a bit stressed about his job and Mike _did_ sort of provoke him by complaining about the unpaid bills. So he felt that he sort of _deserved_ to be pushed against the wall. Also, he knew that Lucas was feeling just a little insecure about Harvey. To the point where he (Lucas) had felt the need to show some dominance and Mike had ended up with nasty bruises on his upper arms (Lucas rarely ever bruised where it could be easily seen) and an uncomfortable ride to work that morning.

Mike sighed, closing his eyes briefly and clenched his hands into fists.

"Hey, Mike. You going for lunch or are you heading back in?" Mike recognized the voice of his boss.

Mike shrugged and discovered his appetite gone after the phone call. He opened his eyes, plastered a smile on his face (even though he knew Harvey wouldn't be fooled by it) and replied "Naw. I'm heading back in. Already ate."

Harvey arched an eyebrow and clearly looked like he didn't believe him. "Well then, after you."

Mike was glad that the older man had, apparently, let the matter drop as they both headed for the elevator.

While Mike headed back to his cubicle, Harvey watched him with concern and Donna, ever the observant one, watched Harvey with a small smile.

The smile was quickly wiped away when Harvey turned to face her. With a slight tilt of his head towards his office, she got up, followed him in and shut the door.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

"I need you to get me as much information as you can about Mike's boyfriend Lucas."

Donna didn't say a word. She just arched her eyebrow at him, which he couldn't see because he was focused on the file on his desk, and went about her assigned task. However, just before she left his office, he said "Make sure Mike doesn't find out. Also, send him in here. I need his help with this client."

"Sure thing."

'So much for dodging Harvey.' Mike thought cynically as he made his over to his boss' office when Louis tracked him down.

"Mike, you have those files ready for me?" Louis asked looking at him expectantly.

"I gave them to Norma." Mike replied without stopping and, although Mike couldn't see him, Louis nodded and headed to his own office.

He glanced briefly at Donna and when she nodded, he went into Harvey's office. Harvey was sitting at his desk reading a file.

"Have a seat, Mike." Harvey says, without looking up. "Our client will be here in about twenty minutes."

When Mike doesn't say anything, Harvey looks over to him and notices a slight twist of pain on his associate's face as he settles himself in a chair.

"You okay?" He asks somewhat coolly because, god forbid that he _actually_ sounds like he cares. Which he does, but he has a reputation to maintain.

Mike looks over at him, surprise briefly flitting across his features. "Yeah. I'm fine." Harvey just nods and proceeds to fill Mike in on the details of the case and then they meet their client. After their client leaves, Mike goes back to his cubicle and Donna comes in to deliver the information that Harvey had requested about Lucas Dickerson. By the time he finishes reading, he's pissed. Lucas is, apparently, a serial abuser, alcoholic and junkie. Although, to be fair, Lucas only did drugs on the weekends. Harvey wondered if Lucas had ever pressured Mike into doing drugs, despite what Harvey had told him would happen if he was ever caught.

Harvey determined that if he ever caught Lucas abusing Mike, than there would be drastic action taken and that it might not be the legal kind. With that in mind, Harvey got back to work.

It was almost quitting time, when Mike looked up from his briefs, startled from 'the zone' and noticed Greg and Kyle smirking at him. He groaned inwardly, because he knew from lots of experience that any time that they looked happy, it was generally a bad thing for him. Donna was standing in front of him with a large vase of flowers and a questioning look on her face. "These are for you." She said, setting the vase down on a small clear space. She then glanced somewhat menacingly at the other two associates and they quickly scrambled to their own cubicles and work.

"Thanks, Donna." Mike said, reaching for the card.

"No problem." she replied, giving him a cheeky look.

He opened the card and read the brief message. _Mike, I'm sorry about last night. You know that month end is coming up at the store and that always makes me a little crazy. _Please forgive me?_ I really do love you. L._

Mike sighed and seriously started to think about his relationship Lucas. 'If he really loved me then he would stop taking his frustrations out on me, he would respect the fact that I am _trying_ to stay clean and he would also understand that _my_ job is ten times more demanding than his.' He thought bitterly, picking up the flowers and the card and dumping them into the nearest wastebasket.

He then sat back down at his desk and tried to settle back into his groove for the next couple of hours, because that's about how long it will take him to finish the paperwork on his desk.

The next time he looked up from his work, the bullpen was empty except for him and Harvey, who was reading the card that the flowers had come with. Pulling his ear buds out, he asked "Where'd you get that?"

"You know, Mike, you really should ask Donna if she wants the flowers before you throw them out." Harvey replied, watching Mike carefully and, not for the first time, noticed just how blue his eyes were. Then he frowned as he also noticed the deep bags under his eyes and how thin and slightly haggard the younger man's face was.

"When was the last time you had a good meal?"

Mike shrugged indifferently. "This morning. Why?"

Harvey's mouth tightened a little in disapproval. "Let's go." He said abruptly, turning away from Mike's desk.

Mike stared at the older lawyer in shock. "Harvey, I can't. I have to get these briefs finished."

Harvey turned back and gave Mike his implacable look complete with raised eyebrow. "And I say that you're done for the weekend. Let's go."

Mike sighed, closed up the folder and scrubbed his hand across his face. Glad, actually, that Harvey was insisting that he quit for the day before eleven.

_A/N: This was supposed to be a one-shot. But, I am apparently incapable of doing one-shots. So enjoy the multi-chapter story. Also, and this will sound egotistical, but please review and let me know what you think. The more the better. Let me know how YOU think Harvey should approach the Mike/Lucas situation given his, so far, secret romantic feelings towards the younger lawyer._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After they had been seated and handed menus, Harvey looked at Mike with the piercing eyes that made him a terror in the court room and Harvey figured that since they weren't at the office, he could show a little concern.

"Care to tell me why your boyfriend felt the need to send you flowers?" Harvey asked, deceptively casual. Mike glanced up from the menu and looked at him warily.

"We had a fight last night."

"About what?" Harvey asked, looking down at the menu even though he knew what he wanted.

Mike shrugged and replied "Just the usual."

Harvey was about to ask another question when the waiter showed up to take their order. After the waiter left, Harvey asked "What kind of fight?"

Mike stared at him in open mouthed shock. _'Is the great Harvey Specter actually expressing concern for me?' _Mike should have found this surprising, but it wasn't the first time the older lawyer expressed the sentiment. What surprised Mike was the fact that the Harvey was actually expressing an interest in his home life. Harvey had never done that before. Not since his Grammy died. In fact, their relationship, both in and out of the office, was still recovering from the shit-storm that was Hardman, Darby and Jessica Pearson.

"Just a regular fight." Mike replied quickly, not really wanting to discuss it further and hoping that that would put Harvey off.

"Physical or verbal?" Harvey asked looking him in his beautiful blue eyes, seeing the faint shadows of a black eye that Mike had said he had received in a bar fight the previous weekend and knowing, just _knowing_, that Lucas was the one that had done it. It made Harvey want to beat the shit out of Lucas for daring to hurt _his_ Mike. _'I seriously__ need to get over this possessiveness. At least until he's actually mine.' _

Mike sighs, closing his eyes briefly. "Harvey, can we _please_ not talk about it?" he asks tiredly. "It was just a stupid fight and all I want to do is forget that it happened." Even though they both knew that he couldn't actually forget.

Harvey studied Mike seeing the toll that the previous night and today had on his young associate. Mike looked more tired and drawn than usual. He also noticed how he had winced when a waiter accidentally bumped Mike's upper arm. He didn't really want to, but he dropped the subject anyway and they went on to have a pleasant dinner.

About half-way through the meal, Mike's cell rang and, after apologizing to Harvey, he answered. "Hey, Lucas."

_"Hey, Mike, when are you coming home? I'm lonely." Lucas whined._

"When I'm done." Mike said, his voice subtly hardening a look of irritation making his eyes go ice blue.

_"And when will that be? I have a great weekend planned for us." _

"I'm not sure." Mike said, casting a quick glance at his dinner companion. He could almost hear the pout from Lucas over the phone.

_"Come on, Mike." Lucas whined "Can you at least give me a guess?" _

"I don't know, Lucas! Sometime before two, I guess." Mike replied, starting to get really tired of this conversation and really wanting to finish his dinner. "Look, Lucas, I have to go. I'll see you when you get home." After having said that, he ends the call and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Trouble with the boyfriend?" Harvey asks nonchalantly.

Mike snorts. "You have no idea."

"Well, if he ever becomes too much trouble, just let me know and I'll help you out. After all, you're no good to me at the office if you're not there because of some stupidness with your boyfriend" Harvey somewhat snarked. He thinks that the concern he feels for Mike was successfully buried in the comment.

"Thanks for the offer. I just might take you up on that." _'Probably later tonight or tomorrow.' _Mike thought feeling somewhat depressed over the scene that he's going to be witness to when he gets home.

Harvey, seeing his suddenly gloomy mood, skillfully moves the conversation into the safer waters of work.

After the bill gets paid, they head out of the restaurant. After they get comfortably settled in the car, Mike turns to Harvey.

"Hey, Harvey, can I crash on your couch tonight?"

Hearing the teeniest hint of anxiety behind the question he replies "Sure, kid. No problem. Although I think that the guest room would be more comfortable."

Mike quirks an eyebrow. "When did you convert your office?"

"About a month ago." He smirks. "You want to stop by your place and pick up some stuff?"

Mike nods, closes his eyes and leans his head against the window.

Harvey smiles softly as the younger man falls into a light doze.

_A/N: Coming up to Mike homecoming. Any ideas on how to approach it will be welcomed._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"You want me to come up with you?" Harvey asks quietly, secretly hoping that Mike says yes, when they arrive at his apartment and Mike seriously thinks about it.

"Yeah, if you don't mind." Mike replies, sleepily. He and Harvey had put in a really full week of work and all Mike really wanted to do was grab some clothes and avoid the party that was undoubtedly going on upstairs. Also, he was hoping that with Harvey there, that would deter Lucas from punishing him too badly. He knew that he had been derelict in his boyfriend duties this past week, but it really hadn't been avoidable. Mike really had tried to explain to his boyfriend that the case that he and Harvey had been working on this last week was going to be presented in court first thing Monday morning. He didn't think that Lucas had really paid attention though.

When they got to the apartment, they could hear that the party was still in full swing, but the cops hadn't been called yet. Mike sighed in relief and then he and Harvey entered.

Harvey immediately noticed that both he and Mike were over-dressed for the occasion, since everyone else was wearing little to no clothing and someone pushed a plastic cup of something into his hand. He saw Mike make his way to what he thought might be the bedroom.

He quickly made his way back to the main room and stalked up to the person that had pushed a drink into Harvey's hand.

"Damn it, Lucas! What the _fuck_ is going on in our room?" Mike demanded, any tiredness that he was feeling had been eclipsed by anger.

"Heeyy, baby. Don' sweat it. Just relax and have some fun. It's the weekend and some friends jus' brought a few party favours. Go have one. It'll help take that stick outta yer ass." Lucas slurred blissfully, as a heavy hand came down on one of Mike's shoulders. Both Mike and Harvey saw that Lucas was as high as a kite and that made Mike a little nervous.

"You know what, Lucas, I'm just going to grab some clothes and sleep somewhere else tonight." Mike said, briefly closing his eyes.

That was when Lucas noticed Harvey and his expression darkened.

"Who the fuck is this?" He snarled, looking down at Harvey with jealous anger. Lucas stood a good two inches taller than the older man.

"Lucas, this is my _boss_, Harvey Specter. Harvey, this is my boyfriend Lucas Dickerson." Mike said, shaking his head and went back into the bedroom to grab some clothes and resolutely ignored the two bodies writhing around on the bed.

"So, you're the asshole boss that likes to work my baby to the bone." Lucas said, eyes glittering dangerously. Harvey nodded and set his drink down on the nearest available surface. He didn't really want to be here and he _really_ didn't want Mike here either. He had worked too hard to help Mike clean up and he wasn't about to let it all go down the drain because of some asshole.

"You do realize that you're risking Mike's job by offering him 'party favours', right?" Harvey asked disgustedly. Trevor had been bad enough, but this guy was worse.

Lucas blinked at him owlishly. "He was already tested this month. He told me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have offered." He growled.

"So, you, the man who is supposed to love him and care for him, are encouraging him to _break _his drug-free streak. Do you have any idea how _hard_ it was for him to _quit_ that shit? Do you even _care_ that he struggles against that need every day?" Harvey said, his voice hard as concrete. "Or do you just keep him around because he's a convenient fuck that doubles as a punching bag?" Harvey was a lot of things, but stupid had never been one of them. He had dealt with enough victims of abuse to recognize it in his associate even though neither had ever talked about it.

The taller man growled in rage and took a swing. Harvey, although tired, was neither drunk nor high and was able to easily dodge the blow and delivered a punch to Lucas' stomach, sending him to his knees in pain. And, of course, that's when Mike showed up.

Mike looked down at his boyfriend, sighed tiredly and shook his head. "I'll see you later, Lucas."

Lucas quickly got to his feet looking irate. "If you leave with this asshole, don't bother coming back!"

Mike, tired and still in pain from their fight the previous night, replied "Fine. Whatever. I'll be back tomorrow to collect my stuff."

Harvey could see Mike fighting back tears and wanted to beat Lucas to a bloody pulp. "You ready to go?" He asked. Mike nodded and they turned to head towards the door. As they were about to leave, Mike cried out in pain and dropped to his knees. Harvey turned and saw Lucas, his fist stilled balled up, smirking evilly. "No one walks out on me, Mikey. No one." Then he kicked Mike in the left kidney.

Harvey growled in rage and proceeded to beat Lucas into unconsciousness, while Mike laid on floor whimpering in pain. Harvey then bent down and helped Mike to his feet. Harvey then grabbed Mike's bag and they left.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Sorry this took so long, but real life and writer's block happens. Sorry about the shortness of the chapter, but the next one will be longer._

* * *

Chapter 4

When they got back to Harvey's condo, Mike went into the bathroom with intention of changing into his pajamas. He was stopped by Harvey calling his name.

"Mike, I think we should get you checked out at a hospital. You know, just to make sure you're okay."

"Harvey, I'm fine. Really." Mike insisted as he walked towards the bathroom. "It's just a little bruising. I've gotten worse falling off my bike." He lied. "Please, don't push this."

Harvey shrugged, not really liking the answer, and asked "You want some coffee?"

"Thanks, but no. I'm really tired and I just want some sleep." Mike replied from the bathroom.

Harvey poured himself a shot of scotch, downed it and then got ready for bed. He checked on Mike before he headed for bed. The other man was already in bed and sleeping the sleep of the truly exhausted.

Several hours later, he woke to the sound of someone moving around. When he came into the living room, he saw Mike in the kitchen making coffee. Mike was moving a little too stiffly for Harvey's comfort, but he wasn't about to start an argument without a least one cup of coffee and some breakfast in his system.

He was about to say something, when he heard the other man muffle a groan of pain.

"You okay?" Harvey asked somewhat cautiously, coming around to where Mike was standing in front of the counter that had the coffee maker.

When all Mike did was shake his head in a negative response, Harvey gently turned Mike around so that he could see him. It cracked his heart a little to see Mike's beautiful blue eyes shiny with tears of pain that refused to be shed. He also noticed that Mike was breathing shallowly.

"That's it. I'm taking you to the hospital." Harvey said resolutely.

"Okay." Mike whispered as Harvey made him sit in a kitchen chair.

"I'll be right back. I just need to get dressed. Don't move."


End file.
